"Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops, like bishops, and your religious act like religious." - Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, 1972

Sunday, April 24, 2016

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Bishop Athanasius Schneider

Mr. Fülep: While the tradition is persecuted, there are some new modern movements which are highly supported. One of them is the community of Kiko. What is your opinion about the Neocatechumenal Way?[11]

His Excellency Bishop Schneider: This is a very complex and sad phenomenon. To speak openly: It is a Trojan horse in the Church. I know them very well because I was an episcopal delegate for them for several years in Kazakhstan in Karaganda. And I assisted their Masses and meetings and I read the writings of Kiko, their founder, so I know them well. When I speak openly without diplomacy, I have to state: The Neocathecumenate is a Protestant-Jewish[12]community inside the Church with a Catholic decoration only. The most dangerous aspect is regarding the Eucharist, because the Eucharist is the heart of the Church. When the heart is in a bad way, the whole body is in a bad way. For the Neocatechumenate, the Eucharist is primarily a fraternal banquet. This is a Protestant, a typically Lutheran attitude.[13]They reject the idea and the teaching of the Eucharist as a true sacrifice. They even hold that the traditional teaching of, and belief in, the Eucharist as a sacrifice is not Christian but pagan.[14]This is completely absurd, this is typically Lutheran, Protestant. During their liturgies of the Eucharist they treat the Most Holy Sacrament in such a banal manner, that it sometimes becomes horrible.[15]They sit while receiving Holy Communion, and then they lose the fragments because they do not take care of them, and after Communion they dance instead of praying and adoring Jesus in silence. This is really worldly and pagan, naturalistic.

Mr. Fülep: The problem may be not just practical…

His Excellency Bishop Schneider: The second danger is their ideology. The main idea of the Neocathecumenate according their founder Kiko Argüello is the following: the Church had an ideal life only until Constantine in the 4th century, only this was effectively the real Church. And with Constantine the Church started to degenerate: doctrinal degeneration, liturgical and moral degeneration.[16]And the Church reached the rock bottom of this degeneration of doctrine and liturgy with the decrees of the Council of Trent. However, contrary to his opinion, the opposite is true: this was one of the highlights of the history of the Church because of the clarity of doctrine and discipline. According to Kiko, the dark age of the Church lasted from the 4th century until the Second Vatican Council. It was only with Vatican Council II that light came into the Church. This is heresy because this is to say that the Holy Spirit abandoned the Church. And this is really sectarian and very much in line with Martin Luther, who said that until him the Church had been in darkness and it was only through him that there was light in the Church. The position of Kiko is fundamentally the same only that Kiko postulates the dark time of the Church from Constantine to Vatican II. So they misinterpret the Second Vatican Council. They say that they are apostles of Vatican II. Thus they justify all their heretical practices and teachings with Vatican II. This is a grave abuse.

Mr. Fülep: How could this community be officially admitted by the Church?

His Excellency Bishop Schneider:This is another tragedy.They established a powerful lobby in the Vatican at least thirty years ago. And there is another deception: at many events they present very many fruits of conversion and many vocations to the bishops. A lot of bishops are blinded by the fruits, and they don’t see the errors, and don’t examine them. They have large families, they have a lot of children, and they have a high moral standard in family life. This is, of course, a good result. However, there is also a kind of exaggerated behaviour to press the families to get a maximum number of children. This is not healthy. And they say, we are accepting Humanae Vitae,[17]and this is, of course, good. But in the end this is an illusion, because there are also quite a lot of Protestant groups today in the world with a high moral standard, who also have a great number of children, and who also go and protest against the gender ideology, homosexuality, and who also accept Humanae Vitae. But, for me, this is not a decisive criterion of truth! There are also a lot of Protestant communities who convert a lot of sinners, people who lived with addictions such as alcoholism and drugs. So the fruit of conversions is not a decisive criterion for me and I will not invite this good Protestant group which converts sinners and has a lot of children to my diocese to engage in apostolate. This is the illusion of many bishops, who are blinded by the so-called fruits.

Mr. Fülep: What is the quoin stone of doctrine?

His Excellency Bishop Schneider: The doctrine of the Eucharist. This is the heart. It is an error to look first at the fruits and ignore or not take care of doctrine and liturgy. I am sure that there will come the time when the Church objectively examines this organisation in depth without the pressure of the lobbies of the Neocathecumenal Way, and their errors in doctrine and liturgy will truly come out.

53 comments:

Thank you, Tim. This is very enlightening and uplifting that there are Bishops who are true shepherds of our Church! Wish he could recommend a replacement for Apuron from his diocese; or someone to take over the RMS seminary for real men who are truly called to serve as priests.

In the same interview Bishop Schneider's addresses all ordained priests:Mr. Fülep: In an interview[6] Your Excellency said about the Extraordinary Synod, that “unfortunately the final Relatio of the Synod also contains a paragraph with the vote on the issue of Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried. Even though it has not achieved the required two thirds of the votes, it is worrying and astonishing that an absolute majority of the bishops present voted in favour of Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried, which reflects badly on the spiritual quality of Catholic episcopacy nowadays.”[7] What does Your Excellency think about this bad spiritual quality of Catholic episcopacy? What are the deep reasons for this?

His Excellency Bishop Schneider: We have observed for many years that many of the official episcopal conferences predominantly deal with temporal and earthly rather than supernatural and eternal matters although the latter should be considered the most important in the life of the Church. To save souls and to lead them to Heaven: this is the reason why Christ came to save us and founded the Church. Therefore the Church has to lead people to Heaven and transmit them divine truths, supernatural graces and the life of God. This is the main task of the Church. Dealing with temporal affairs is up to the government. So I see here an undue transition of the task of the government, the civil authority to the bishops, the successors of the apostles. Of course, based on her social doctrine, the Church can advise the government so that social life will be more adopted to the natural law. But this is not the main task of the Church. It is a secondary task. The current crisis of the Church is largely due to this: the substitution of the main task with secondary ones.

Wow, that is so awesome. I love this Bishop (Schneider), and finally he has made clear the problems we see ourselves. All of us who oppose the NCW should take heart at this statement - and should disseminsate it far and wide. Thankyou Tim.

Thank you, Tim. Bishop Schneider nails it. One can prove Bishop Schneider's assertions by using Kiko's teaching found in his secret Catechetical Directories. Here are just two examples:

"For the Neocatechumenate, the Eucharist is primarily a fraternal banquet."

Kiko rejects any sacrificial interpretation of Christ's death and consequently, he rejects the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist. He does this specifically by stripping the sacrifice out of the historical celebration of the Jewish Passover. Click here and here to learn more.

"The main idea of the Neocathecumenate according their founder Kiko Argüello is the following: the Church had an ideal life only until Constantine in the 4th century, only this was effectively the real Church. And with Constantine the Church started to degenerate...Kiko postulates the dark time of the Church from Constantine to Vatican II."

Click here to see a more detailed discussion on Kiko's timeline of Church history from his Catechetical Directory.

These comments made by Bishop Schneider come from his long experience and immersion with the NCW practices. These are not simply wistful or casual comments. He recognizes the fundamental errors of its principles and presuppositions. The NCW is Protestant-Jewish and masquerades as Catholic in order to gain legitimacy by conning weak bishops, to use Her resources without expending fundraising efforts, and to supplant in viper-like ways the authentic Catholic community and teachings. These comments explain the disrespect for the Holy Eucharist, secretive activities, untrained presbyters, disdain for parish life, brainwashing techniques, public confessions and many more disturbing aspects of NCW.

This is a refreshing validity of all that the JW blog has been upholding, the propagation of the truth. Because the truth originates from Christ, through his church, Church teaching follows all that the redeemer reveals, It is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. it is an absolute that cannot change, only man's understanding or grasp of God's truth changes. We should continue to listen to the Church, It is God's Pillar and Foundation of Truth in a world full of all kinds of man made doctrines. God Bless..

"[15] The liturgy of the Neocathecumenal Way does not comply with the General Instruction of the Roman Missal or the other liturgical rules but has its own ”liturgical innovations”. The liturgical practice of the Way is full of abuses: in fact the Vatican has called the attention of the movement to problems like laity sermons in their Holy Mass, the faithful dancing during liturgy and standing rather than kneeling during Eucharistic prayer, receiving Holy Communion sitting and passing a huge chalice with Christ’s blood in it from hand to hand. Regulations on church music are completely ignored. Another problem is that the Way separates the faithful from the parish and the church: the Sunday Holy Mass, which is full of abuses, is always celebrated Saturday evening as the "Private Mass” of the community, usually not in a church but at a profane place, e.g. in a community room."

I agree that the celebration of the Holy Eucharist must be celebrated on an altar consecrated for that purpose, in a sacred place giving dignity to the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Celebrating mass as the neo's do in a community center of sorts, we do not know if some profane acts were performed on that location or on those tables the night before. Clearly no sense of sacredness is given to the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

First let us give Thanks to Our Lord for showing us what a true Shepard Bishop Schneider is and informing us that the Neocathecumenate is a Protestant-Jewish community inside the Church with a Catholic decoration only. We continue to pray for Tim Rohr and Chuck White and all who contributed their time to share information to JungleWatch. To all our CCOG and LFM members and staff, I Thank You for your Perseverance & Standing up for our One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. God Bless us All! KATOLIKU ASTA I FINATAI-HU

Apuron teaches how to take or collect and spend money without sweating or working for it. His (apuron)WAYS is to let everybody sweat and just sit back and collect. Sorry apuron but even a penny from me is too much.

What Bishop Schneider, highlights in this interview, is basically the confirmation of what Tim, Chuck, and several contributors to this blog, have advanced for two and half years, in this blog.

This is confirmation that what the Zoltan calls "staled and tired" arguments are at the center of all of our issues.By letting in, these wolves in sheep's clothing, inside our Archdiocese, AAA has given the keys of our Church to heretics and false prophets.This is nothing less than treasonous. We the Laity are reinforced by this, and I hope you are as determined as I am to combat this gangrene, and throw it out to the bins of History.

Many moons ago, my wife & I had the discomfort of listening to Pius and Carmen in Tamuning. We left that encounter knowing "something stinks". Tim and Chuck have exposed the "darkness" that is the Way. The CCOG and Laity Moving Forward are the fruits of their investigative efforts. With the world watching there will be more "testimony" exposing the Way, such as, this refreshing validation by a True Shepard of the Church, Bishop Schneider. St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle...

An important answer in Bishop Schneider's interview sheds light on the abuse of distributing the Body of Christ on the hands. "Non possumus!" Mr. Fülep: During the time of John Paul II, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued an instruction entitled “Redemptionis Sacramentum” on certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist.[34] This document prescribes, that "if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognition of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.”[35] We believe in the doctrine of the Real Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. To give the Holy Sacrament in the hand risks dropping small fragments of it and profanizing the Most Holy.[36] From Your Excellency’s book we know that the ancient practice was absolutely different from the current protestant form. When asked to give the Holy Communion to the hand, is "Non possumus” the only adequate answer of priests, deacons or extraordinary ministers?[37]His Excellency Bishop Schneider: Yes. I completely agree with this. I have nothing to add, because this is so evident. First and foremost, we have to defend our Lord. This is a matter of fact that almost during every distribution of Holy Communion in the hand there is a real danger of loss of fragments. So we cannot give Holy Communion in the hand. This is too dangerous. We have to decide to protect and defend our Lord. The law of the Church is subordinated to the good of the Church. And in this case the letter of the law – allowing giving Communion in the hand – is causing great spiritual damage to the Most Holy in the Church, that is, our Lord in the Eucharist. So giving Communion in the hand is dangerous and damaging the Church. Therefore we cannot follow this law. In practice it is, of course, difficult because in some places people are already accustomed to taking the Holy Communion in the hand. However, we should explain it to them previously with much conviction and love, and usually the majority will accept it. So we have to do our best to achieve this.Mr. Fülep: What if the superiors don’t allow seminarians, acolytes or extraordinary ministers to do so?His Excellency Bishop Schneider: I would prefer not to give Communion in hand. And if the superior compelled me to do so, I would say: "I can’t”. I have to tell the superior that I have a conscience, too.

I went to Chalan Pago Church on Wednesday, May 20th, after the mass had ended Edivaldo made a comment that he really disliked it when people strolled into mass at 6:10 when mass started at 6:00. He further added, if you work for GovGuam, you have no excuse to be late as those that work for GovGuam don't really work and can leave work whenever they want. He said this from the altar. His behavior and irreverence is appalling. I thought that was bad but I attended Chalan Pago mass at 6pm on Friday, May 22. Once Edivaldo gave his final blessing, his comment, once again from the altar, was "whew! I'm glad, I could really use a beer right now". The gasps from the people around me said it all. Disgusting behavior! People were looking at one another in astonishment asking "did he really just say that?" I nodded in the affirmative. We were all disgusted by him and his remarks. This is the type of fruit that the neo's produce. Rotten fruit to the core!

Dear Anonymous. Thank you for sharing this. I can understand OJ's behavior. It is to be expected. What I cannot understand is why people who care about their salvation would subject themselves and their children week after week to such a danger, especially since it is quite clear that the Mass you think you are attending is not the Mass - see Bishop Schneider's comments. Get out of there.

These presbyters just go through the motions and utter words that are in the Roman Missal and Lectionary when saying Mass. The do not believe in the real presence. They say Mass for the parishioners who are not Neo as part of their charades. The only sincere words Edivaldo uttered that evening were "I need a beer."Are you sure you want to waste your time attending Mass by a presbyter?

It is important for any Catholic who cares about the salvation of his or her soul to know that there is a difference between a sinful priest and a priest who does not intend what the Church intends. The most vile, most sinful priest can still confect a valid Eucharist if he at least intends what the Church intends, say the proper words and employs the proper matter. The state of his soul is not a condition for sacramental validity. However, if the priest does NOT "intend what the Church intends," in other words does NOT intend to turn the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, then there is NO valid Eucharist and you are receiving only bread and wine.

As we have demonstrated previously, Kiko's theology that Jesus was just a man, a sinner just like us, who "experienced the forgiveness of the Father," and as Bishop Schneider points out above: "They reject the idea and the teaching of the Eucharist as a true sacrifice."

If the Eucharist is NOT a sacrifice, and only a fraternal meal, then you are NOT receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and your soul is in peril. More so, your continued presence at these "fraternal meals" makes you implicitly party to a heresy. Do you want that?

I attended the 7 pm mass at the Cathedral last night. I forgot the name of the elderly priest with a full white beard, but clearly he was part of the NCW as he professed the good works of said cult. He graciously stepped down from the pulpit after delivering his homily of Love Thy Neighbor and used it as a convenient segue to introduce the husband of Jackie, the trained lawyer, to talk about why he joined the NCW and to try to inspire people to attend the catechesis next week. I left the mass empty and unfulfilled as I know they don't believe in the real presence of the Lord. I also left the mass without that "Invitation to JOY" they passed to exiting parishioners. I POLITELY declined. After all, gotta LOVE THY NEIGHBOR!

OMG! Such blatant disregard for the sensibilities of the laity! How crass and rude! I can only imagine how they behave with each other in the privacy of RMS walls. This is unacceptable behavior that Archbishop Tony has permitted to proliferate due to his slavish devotion to the heretical ncw cult. These rejects from other seminaries are allowed to sow confusion and disrespect as part of mission to discredit the Roman Catholic Church. Please express your disgust when these presbyters and wannabe presbyters misbehave in public. Remember that you fund their existence and willingly donate to their causes. Do not feel shortchanged by what you expect from the Church.

I heard that Neo seminarians at the Nino Perdido Parish picnic yesterday were vaping, smoking cigars and drinking beer. They said that they looked more like a bunch of college soriety rejects from all walks of life and a bunch of neokats were there too including the SARC (for sure, for sure) and the tall "There is no division in the church" bearded presbyter. Must've been very uncomfortable being surrounded by a cult.

Ha, ha, ha, that's why Kimcheeee won't take the whole crew out to dinner anymore....she didn't like the alcohol tab. Poor Kimcheeee , used and abused. But right about Bar tab. Now they don't ask her anymore. Whatch out folks, don't let Kimcheeee strong arm you to give to Gala. She'll be out there: you give seminary one thousand, you give 2000, you give five hundred. Kimcheeee will shake you down. You richeeee you give 10,000. Keep in mind she keeps her share for her hard work. After all, she's busy woman! You richeeee , you give plenteeeeseminarians! Poor Archbishop, he sick, you give plenteeeeseminarians. In cahoots with Putrid now. Even go to luncheee. Sageeee only special with Archeeee. Kimcheeee, Kimchee doesn't know a thing about NCW. Not a thing. Poor Korean lady, Kimchee.

Many of you are probably already familiar with Bishop Schneider and his writings and commentary. However, for those who are not acquainted with the bishop, it is important to understand that Bishop Schneider is not just some random bishop from Asia minor who happens to oppose the NCW. Bishop Schneider has for a very long time been widely and deeply respected among orthodox Catholics for his advocacy against modernist incursions in the liturgy and his profound understanding of the special role of the liturgy and the Eucharist in the salvation of souls and the spread of the Gospel. His book, Dominus Est, for instance, is a great primer on the Eucharist. I note all of this to provide context to the bishop's comments about the NCW. His comments are not made important by the mere fact that he is a bishop (although, this is significant), but because he is probably the most widely respected voice in the Church among those who take the liturgy seriously.

His Comments are made important not by his person, but the mere fact that this teacher of the faith teaches what the Church that Christ founded teaches. Reverence for the Church's greatest treasure - The Holy Eucharist.

"In stark contrast with the “liturgical books” of the Catholic Church, one finds in“The MASONIC PLAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH" (http://spir-food.blogspot.it/2013/11/masonic-plan.html):3. Assign the Protestant ministers to reconsider the Holy Mass and to desecrate it. Sown doubts about the Real Presence in the Eucharist and confirm that the Eucharist - with greater proximity to the Protestant faith - is only bread and wine and is intended as a pure symbol. Spread Protestants in seminaries and schools. Encourage ecumenism as the path towards unity. Accuse anyone who believes in the Real Presence as subversive and disobedient to the Church.6. Prevent the faithful from taking Holy Communion kneeling. Tell the nuns that they must dissuade the children from keeping their hands together before and after Communion. Tell them that God loves them as they are and that they should feel completely at ease. Eliminate in the church kneeling and any genuflection. Remove the pews. Tell people that during the Mass they must show their faith in an upright position.9 Eliminate all the hymns even those to Jesus because they make the people think of happiness and serenity that comes from the life of mortification and penance for God already from childhood. Introduce new songs only to convince people that the previous rites were somehow false. Make sure that in every Mass that there is at least one in which Jesus is not mentioned and instead speaks only of love for men. The youth will be thrilled to hear about the love of neighbor. Preach love, tolerance and unity. Do not mention Jesus, prohibit any announcements of the Eucharist.11. Discontinue the practice of celebrating the Holy Mass in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle. Do not admit any Tabernacle on the Altars that are used for the celebration of the Holy Mass. The board should have the appearance of a kitchen table. It must be transportable to express that it is not at all sacred but must serve a dual purpose as, for example, a table for conferences or for play cards on it. Later place a chair at that table. The priest must take that position to indicate that after the Communion he rests as after a meal. The priest must never kneel during the Mass or do genuflections. At meals, in fact, no one ever kneels. The chair of the Priest must be placed in the place of the Tabernacle. Encourage the people to worship and also to adore the priest instead of the Eucharist, to obey him instead of the Eucharist. Tell the people that the priest is Christ, their leader. Place the Tabernacle in a separate room, out of sight.14. Try to get all the personal books of piety to disappear and destroy them. As a consequence of this the Litanies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, of the Mother of God, of St. Joseph will cease also as the preparation for Holy Communion. The thanksgiving after Communion will become superfluous as well.29. Have the distributing of Communion done by women and lay people. You say that this is the time of the laity. Begin with giving Communion in the hand, as do the Protestants, rather than on the tongue. Explain that Christ did it the same way. Collect some hosts for "black masses" in our temples. Afterwards distribute instead of the personal Communion a cup of unconsecrated hosts that one can bring home with them. Explain to them that in this way they one can take the divine gifts into everyday life. Place automatic dispensers of hosts for communions and name these Tabernacles. Tell them that they must be exchanged peace signs. Encourage people to move into the church to interrupt devotion and prayer. Do not make Signs of the Cross; in place of it instead a sign of peace. Explain that also Christ got up to greet the Disciples. Do not allow any concentration in such moments. The Priests must turn their back to the Eucharist and honor the people."

Two things I want to mention -Firstly, we must not lump all NCW members into one. There apparently is a wide variety of ways different churches celebrate "their" NCW Mass. Many DO believe in transubstantiation - In my parish, I do believe the Mass is valid, albeit illicit. Perhaps it was through 'correction" by the Popes before their statutes were approved, and maybe some priests were formed in other seminaries BEFORE they brought in the NCW to their parishes? The Chalice is not passed from person to person during Communion in my church. We NOW even use the actual Altar - (I don't know if that's better or worse, because now we have people "dancing around" the altar in the Sanctuary.)In our efforts to try to correct their Mass, we seem to have judged unfairly and harshly each individual member.. Not everyone is guilty, perhaps naive, indoctrinated, or blinded, but not guilty. So many are far better than I am in their love for God and one another. This is where we must be "Merciful like the Father." Let us (continue to) pray for their conversion. They have been duped by satan.

Secondly, I believe Pope Francis will eventually remove the indult that gives Catholics the permission to receive the Eucharist in the hand.I watched a Papal Mass on EWTN yesterday for young people. At Communion time I saw so many people coming with their hands extended to receive, and the priests ignored their hands and held the Host close to their lips so they knew they had to receive on the tongue. Some different priests were later shown giving Communion in the hands, but I hear that the instructions were not given in every language so it may be that those priests were unaware of the wishes/instructions of the Pope?

Bishop Schneider's comments are specifically directed at the THEOLOGY OF KIKO ARGUELLO, not individual NCW members. However, it really doesn't matter what individual members believe. By being members of Kiko's cult, they give implicit if not explicit ascent to Kiko's heresy and are participants in its propagation. The individual degree of culpability will be for God to judge. Meanwhile, pointing out the heresy and its dangers is ours.

I fixed it. Thanks. But just a general FYI for those who don't know. There is no difference in priestly status between a bishop and an archbishop. There is not even a difference in status between a bishop, a cardinal, or even the pope. All are bishops, though the pope of course - as the occupant of the Chair of Peter - has unique status as Vicar of Christ for the whole Church.

The designation "archbishop" refers not to the status of a bishop but to the status of his diocese. If it is an archdiocese, then he is referred to as "archbishop." If it is a diocese, then he is referred to as "bishop." A diocese is an archdiocese when it is not a "suffragan" diocese.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragan_bishop

In the Roman Catholic Church, a suffragan is a bishop who heads a diocese. His suffragan diocese, however, is part of a larger ecclesiastical province, nominally led by a metropolitan archbishop. The distinction between metropolitans and suffragans is of limited practical importance. Both are diocesan bishops possessing ordinary jurisdiction over their individual sees. The metropolitan has few responsibilities over the suffragans in his province and no direct authority over the faithful outside of his own diocese.[10][11]

Bishops who assist diocesan bishops are usually called auxiliary bishops. If the assisting bishop has special faculties (typically the right to succeed the diocesan bishop) he would be called a coadjutor bishop.[12] Since they are not in charge of a suffragan diocese, they are not referred to as “suffragan bishops”.

On the other blog, Bishop Schneider was criticized and referenced as a kneel and tongue maniac - Diane refused by entry so......:

Bishop Schneider allegedly influenced Pope Benedict XVI, with his book *It is the Lord,* to distribute Communion to those kneeling and on the tongue during Mass in the latter years of his pontificate. When Cardinal Sarah was given the position in charge of the Sacraments and Divine Worship, he asked Pope Francis what would he like him to do re the liturgy,and Pope Francis said to follow what Pope Benedict had initiated. A couple of days ago, I saw on EWTN, thousands of young people attending a papal Mass at St. Peters Square. The priests distributed Communion on the tongue, even when people came up with hands open to receive. Some priests (either disobedient to the Popes instructions, or perhaps not addressed in a language they understood, did give Communion in the hand.) But the majority of priests were giving on the tongue.

Would it not be your desire to worship God in a Biblical and Heavenly position - on ones knees, and to receive on the tongue so as to protect particles of the Host (Jesus) from falling to the ground and being trampled on, or transferred onto clothing, pews, books, hair, etc. This is what Bishop Schneider is concerned about, and rightfully so. Our Lord is being trampled on and abused because of peoples indifference to the problem. I am also familiar with priests distributing the Precious Blood from person to person who remain standing in their place (such as with the NCW), and because of the movement of the priest walking, the level of the Precious Blood moves in the Chalice and sometimes spills over the edge onto the floor or someones shoes. Is it not better to prevent Jesus from being abused in this way. One who loves Jesus cannot be indifferent to these happenings. Bishop Schneider, in his love for our Lord, is just asking us to prevent the abuse we inflict on Jesus.

The other serious reason for Communion on the tongue is to prevent satanists from stealing consecrated hosts for their black masses. Receiving the Eucharist on the tongue, and consuming the Host immediately in front of the priest makes it harder for satanists to get their hands on Him. If you value Jesus in the Eucharist, you have to see that Bishop Schneider is correct in promoting the Eucharist on the tongue while kneeling.

Bishop Schneider is not a kneel-and-tongue maniac; Bishop Schneider is more than a kneel-and-tongue advocate; Bishop Schneider is a defender and protector of the Body and Blood of Christ. For us not to agree, makes us indifferent to the abuse of our Lord. I would not scoff at this. I would promote it just like Saint John Paul II did, just like Pope Benedict XVI did, and just like Pope Francis does. If you believe in transubstantiation, you would do everything possible to see that Jesus is treated respectfully by everyone who presents themselves for Communion.To do everything possible, to prevent loss of Jesus, is very Catholic.

A while back I heard a story about a man in the Philippines who would receive communion but didn't consume the host, only to be fed to the rooster slated to fight that day. Receiving communion on the hand should be discontinued!